Historical Background:

The basic description of the President's Office is found in the University Faculty Manual. This information can be found in the guide to University Archives 159, President's Office -- Holland administration. Wilson Compton was President of Washington State College from 1944 to 1951. His administration was characterized by a highly dynamic and activist form of management, and ended in a resignation that was generally regarded as a dismisal or firing by the Board of Regents.

Scope and Contents note

Records that comprise Archives 160 constitute only part of the President's Office Records from the Compton years. Records for the period starting in 1948 are located with Archives 12. The break occurs largely because in that year the records began to be treated as the files of an office and less as the personal papers of the President, a matter than had not always been clearly defined in earlier times. Archives 160 consists of two series. The first is Speeches and Publicity Material -- including scrapbooks -- associated with Wilson Compton. The second series is President's Office Correspondence.

Upon leaving his position at Washington State College, President Compton removed from the office files those documents in the folder entitled "E.O. Holland, 1944-1950" (Folder 191). These he retained in his personal possession until his death. Later these were transferred to the College of Wooster Library with another sequence of his personal materials. In 1996, the Wooster Archivist transferred the documents to Washington State University Libraries.

President Compton apparently retained these papers because they were potentially embarrassing to Holland, documenting as they do Holland's political and personal efforts in opposition to decisions taken at Washington State College, and to his "butting-in" from his position in retirement. lrs 12/98

Publication Information

Conditions Governing Access note

The Collection is open for research use.

Immediate Source of Acquisition note

Records of the Washington State President's Office during the first years of the Wilson Compton presidency were transferred to the University Libraries at some time before 1970. Certain of Compton's personal papers were added to the records at that time. The records were refoldered and a new inventory was prepared in February and March of 1988. In 1998, one folder of additional correspondence was added.

Collection Inventory

1 Speeches and Publicity Materials

"United States Mission to the United Nations." Address before the American Standards Association October 14, 1949

1

1

"An Adventure of the Mind." Address to Dr. Compton's first freshman class September 17, 1945

1

2

"Strenghen Us for Noble Duty." Address to members of the freshman class September 29, 1946

1

3

Speeches made by Dr. Compton to various clubs and organizations and organizations. 1944-1947

1

4

Speeches made by Dr. Compton various clubs and organizations. 1948-1949

1

5

Speeches made by Dr. Compton to various clubs and organizations 1950-1951

1

6

Articles and speeches by Dr. Compton 1944-1953

1

7

"An Adventure and a Challenge," Sept. 1950

"Looking Ahead from Behind," Dec. 12, 1944

"Great Pilots Are Not Made in Smooth Waters," Mar. 1948

"College Gives You a Chance to Win an Education," Sept. 11, 1949

"Engineering in an Era of Big Science and Big Government," Sept. 9, 1948

"Keep Washington Green and Build for a Future," 1945.

"Our Feet on the Ground," June, 1951

Department of State Press Releases

1

7

International Information Administration. January 17, 1952. #43.

Address Before the Washington Area Clergymen. May 12, 1952. #379.

"The Voice of America at the Water's Edge." May 21, 1952. #404.

(Untitled) Sept. 13, 1952. #730.

Address before the Congressional Club. January 30, 1953. #57.

"Waging the Campaign of Truth," July-August, 1952

Articles Concerning Dr. Wilson Compton. Includes a certificate from the Olympia Chamber of Commerce honoring Dr. Compton. April 18, 1945

2

8

Improvements and accomplishments attained at the State College of Washington 1945-1951

2

9

Scrapbooks of newspaper clippings 1944-1945

2

10

Scrapbook of newspaper clippings 1945

2

11

The Inauguration of President Wilson Martindale Compton. Includes order of events, Program outline and Inauguration booklet 1946

3

12

Newspaper clippings concerning the regime and resignation of President Wilson M. Compton at the State College of Washington 1944-51. (Gift of C. M. Brewster, Oct., 1955.)

3

13

Material concerning the resignation of Wilson Compton as President of the State College of Washington. Statements by and about the Board of Regents and President Compton. News release items. 1951-52. Also contains program and speechess at inauguration of President Compton, 1945; Quarter Century Biography of Wilson Compton by Old Timer's Club. Newspaper clipping with pictures.

3

14

Photographs (2 copies) of Wooster Clan taken at Princeton, May 9, 1964, with identification. Address of Dr. Howard Lowry at memorial service of Wilson Compton, Jr., at College of Wooster, July 16, 1964. Wooster Alumni Bulletin of October 1964, containing notice of death of Wilson M. Compton, Jr. Photographs of wedding of Compton's daughter at Pullman ca. 1951

3

15

The Inauguration of W. M. Compton as President of the College. Vols. I \II.

4

16

The Inauguration of W. M. Compton as President of the College. Vol. III.

5

17

Scrapbook containing clippings re: resignation of Wilson Compton from the Presidency of Washington State College.